Card game

ABSTRACT

A card game is played with a set of playing cards and a gaming cloth ( 10 ), the gaming cloth ( 10 ) defineing an area ( 12 ) in which a dealer may deal two or more cards constituting a house hand, and a plurality of player areas; each player area defining an area ( 14,16 ) in which two or more hands comprised of two or more cards may be dealt to a player; areas ( 18,20 ) corresponding to each hand for placing a bet on the hands beating the house hand; and an area ( 22 ) in which optional bets may be placed on the matching of the cards dealt to each player to specified hands.

[0001] The present invention relates to a card game and in particular acard game suitable for use in casinos, based on a multi-handed versionof blackjack or a like game, in which the object of the game is toachieve a total of 21 or some other specified number, when the values ofthe cards are added together, the winner of the game being closest tobut not more than the specified number.

[0002] In a multi-handed blackjack game, each player has two or morehands which may be manipulated in some manner and then compared againsta single hand dealt by the dealer. Typically in such games, each playeris dealt two or more pairs of cards face up, to which further cards maybe added at the player's request.

[0003] The present invention provides a card game in which furtheroptional bets may be placed by the player on the matching of the cardsinitially dealt to him to specified hands.

[0004] according to one aspect of the present invention, a card gamecomprises a set of playing cards and a gaming cloth, characterised inthat the gaming cloth defines an area in which a dealer may deal two ormore cards constituting a house hand, and a plurality of player areas;

[0005] each player area defining an area in which two or more handscomprised of two or more cards may be dealt To a player;

[0006] areas corresponding to each hand for placing a bet on the handsbeating the house hand; and

[0007] an area in which optional bets may be placed on the matching ofthe cards dealt to each player to specified hands.

[0008] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, initially each player will be dealt two or more pairs ofcards face up, the optional bet being decided on the matching of therank of two or more of the cards initially dealt to the player.

[0009] According to a further embodiment, cards dealt to the house handmay also be used by the player to match the specified hands whendeciding the optional bet.

[0010] The set of cards may furthermore comprise two or more decks sothat there will be cards of equal rank and Suit, higher odds being paidon the matching of rank and suit, than on the matching of rank only.

[0011] Other specified hands in respect of The optional bet may includethree or more cards of equal rank; three or more cards of consecutiverank (a straight); three or more cards of the same suit ( a flush);three or more cards of equal rank and suit; three or more cards ofconsecutive rank and the same suit; or combinations thereof, dependingon the number of hands dealt to each player. Odds may be paid on theoptional bet, depending on the difficulty of achieving the specifiedhand.

[0012] The invention is now disclosed by way of example only, withreference to FIG. 1 which illustrates a gaming cloth in accordance withthe present invention.

[0013] As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, a gaming cloth 10 ismarked with an area 12 in which two cards may be dealt, one face up andone face down, to constitute a house hand. The gaming cloth 10 alsodefines a plurality of player areas, each player area comprising twoareas 14,16 in which a pair of cards may be dealt face up to constitutetwo player hands. Areas 18,20 are provided for placing individual betson each player hand and an area 22 is provided for placing an optionalbet on the matching of the cards dealt in the areas 14 and 16 tospecified hands. In accordance with one embodiment of the game, a set ofcards comprising six conventional decks of 52 cards are shuffledtogether.

[0014] Each player wishing to take part in the game then places a bet inareas 18 and 20 and also optionally in area 22. Two pairs of cards arethen dealt face up to each player participating in the game in areas 14and 16 and two cards one face up and one face down are dealt to thehouse in area 12.

[0015] The optional bet placed in area 22 is then decided on the basisof the four cards dealt to each player, odds being paid out to thematching of these cards in accordance with table 1 below. TABLE 1 MatchOdds Two or more cards of matching rank and different suit 1:1 Two ormore cards of matching rank and suit 3:1 Two or more aces of matchingsuit 5:1

[0016] For example if a player is dealt K

and 3 ♦ in area 14, and 9

and 3

in area 16, then the optional bet will be paid out at 1:1. If howeverthe player is dealt A

and 5 ♡ in area 14, and A

and 8

in area 16 the optional bet will be paid out at 5:1.

[0017] The above odds will provide an advantage to the house of 2.24%.

[0018] Alternatively, the odds given in Table 2 below will provide anadvantage to the house of approximately 2%. TABLE 2 Match Odds Two cardsof matching rank but different suit   1:1 Two cards of matching rank andsuit   6:4 Three cards of matching rank but different suit   5:1 Threecards of matching rank and suit  40:1 Four cards of matching rank butdifferent suit  80:1 Four cards of matching rank and suit ?000:1

[0019] With these alternative odds a special bonus may be paid for, forexample, four aces of a particular suit.

[0020] According to an alternative embodiment of the card game, the fourcards dealt to each player plus the upturned card dealt to the dealermay be used to form a poker hand, different odds being paid out on theoptional bet on the basis of the normal ranking of poker hands asillustrated in Table 3 below. TABLE 3 Hand Match Two Pair Two cards ofsame rank three of a kind Three cards of the same rank straight fivecards of consecutive rank Flush five cards of same suit Full house threecards of one rank and two cards of another rank Four of a kind fourcards of same rank Straight flush five cards of consecutive rank andsame suit Royal flush A K Q J 10 of same suit

[0021] Again, the odds paid our on the matching of these hands would befixed to reflect the difficulty in obtaining the specified hand.

[0022] According to a further embodiment, if a player is for exampledealt four cards of equal rank and suit, and the house's face up card orsome other card dealt, for example, after completion of the game, ifmatching the rank and suit of those dealt to the player may be used toprovide a jackpot payout.

[0023] After settling the optional bets, each player may then stick withthe cards dealt to him in areas 14 and 16 or may add to these cards inorder to achieve a total of 21 or below when the values of the cards areadded together. The face down house card is then revealed and optionallyadditional cards dealt to the house hand. Bets placed in areas 18 and 20are then decided by comparing each player hand with the house hand, theone nearer to 21 winning, in accordance with the standard blackjackrules.

[0024] According to a further embodiment, when playing out the handsdealt in areas 14 and 16, the player may switch one card from each ofthe areas 14 and 16 to the other area 16,14 with a view to improving oneor both hands.

[0025] Various modifications may be made without departing from theinvention. For example, the odds quoted above may be varied as required.Furthermore, while in the embodiments disclosed above, each player isdealt with two hands, the game is suitable for any multi-handed cardgame, in which initially each player is dealt with two or more pairs ofcards.

[0026] The above described game may also be adapted for internetentertainment and video slot machines. It could furthermore be stored ona disc and played on a computer or interactive television. In thisrespect the term ‘gaming cloth’ used herein is intended to cover avirtual representation of the gaming cloth. Moreover, use of the term‘cloth’ is not intended to restrict the claims to use of particularmaterial, but will cover any media which defines a playing area for thecard game.

1. A card game comprises a set of playing cards and a gaming cloth (10),characterised in that the gaming cloth (10) defines an area (12) inwhich a dealer may deal two or more cards constituting a house hand, anda plurality of player areas; each player area defining an area (14,16)in which two or more hands comprised of two or more cards may be dealtto a player; areas (18,20) corresponding to each hand for placing a beton the hands beating the house hand; and an area (22) in which optionalbets may be placed on the matching of the cards dealt to each player tospecified hands.
 2. A card game according to claim 1 characterised inthat each player is initially dealt two or more pairs of cards face up,the optional bet being decided on the initial cards dealt to the player.3. A card game according to claim 1 characterised in that each player isinitially dealt two or more pairs of cards face up, the optional betbeing decided on the initial cards dealt to the player plus one carddealt to the house.
 4. A card game according to any one of the precedingclaims characterised in that the set of cards comprises two or moreconventional decks of 52 playing cards.
 5. A card game according to anyone of the preceding claims characterised in that the optional bet iswon by matching two or more cards of equal rank.
 6. A card gameaccording to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the optionalbet is won by matching two or more cards of equal rank and suit.
 7. Acard game according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in thatthe optional bet is won by matching three or more cards of consecutiverank.
 8. A card game according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterisedin that the optional bet is won by matching three or more cards ofconsecutive rank and suit.
 9. A card game according to any one of claims1 to 4 characterised in that the optional bet is won by matching threeor more cards of the same suit.
 10. A card game according to any one ofclaims 5 to 9 characterised in that the odds paid out on the optionalbet depends on the odds of matching the specified hand.
 11. A card gameaccording to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that afterthe optional bet is decided the player and the house may elect to haveadditional cards dealt to there respective hands, the outcome of thegame then being decided in accordance with the conventional rules ofblackjack.
 12. A card game according to claim 11 characterised in thatthe player may switch cards between the hands.